This was for Thanksgiving, but I got behind. So, here goes for 2017.

I am totally thankful for my daughter and my two grandkids, Ella and Jake.

I am most thankful for my brother picking me up on Sunday for lunch and our “shoplifting” trips.

I am very thankful that I only went blind in one eye, so I can still see all the potholes before my brother hits them.

I’m actually thankful for the rude and discourteous clerks working in most stores. They give me good reasons to call their 800 numbers and collect gift cards to help finance my “shoplifting.”

Basically, another “thankful thang” is the Salisbury Post for home delivery and Sunday’s paper for the coupons, more help for being on a tight pulley; Tuesday’s for the grocery ads, so I’ll know what I’m going to eat that week; Thursday’s for the TV guide (TimeOut), so I can study it and be so thankful for what I’m not going waste my time watching; Saturday’s to see if anyone is having a benefit fish fry. And (Deirdre) Parker-Smith for sure.

She’s there at 6 in the morning to take my call after proofreading what hits the driveway. Then she can correct the articles for the online readers.

I’m absolutely thankful for a church being on just about every corner, so all the “thumpers” have a place to go. Please go!

I’m extremely thankful that I have the common sense to recycle, know children are more important than cats, not to support anything that allows smoking while raising money to fight cancer and realize that Healthy Rowan ain’t very healthy.

It’s hard to have fun in a place as backwards as RoCo, but I’m really thankful for my friends that put all seriousness aside and help me to “Keep on Smilin’.”

— Whitey Harwood

Rowan County